On Monday, I finally decided to get serious about fixing our gas grill. It was rusted through the bottom, burners were rusted, I needed to light it with matches… It was a mess. It had been a mess for a couple of years, but I just kept putting off fixing it. So… I went to the website and started pricing replacement parts.
As I was scanning through the list, I realized I needed way more parts than was practical. Time to get a new grill. I went on to Amazon Smile and yesterday our new grill was delivered. In a really big box. Assembly required.
Assembly doesn’t bother me, but instructions without words – just pictures – are not my forte. They generally just don’t make sense to me. Icons, in general, don’t make sense to me. What can I say?!?
I had planned to put it together tomorrow, but I got to leave work early, today. I came home, baked a loaf of bread, and set out to conquer Mr Char-Broil.
Victor – very wisely – planned a dinner that did not require a grill. He knows me. Well.
I actually did pretty well. I only made one screw-up – misreading the two front panels for a brace I couldn’t find necessitating some awkward screwing after the fact – but it was all done in 2 hours. No cursing, crying, temper-tantrums, or smashed fingers.
Meanwhile, Victor was in the kitchen making ricotta gnocchi.
OMG! Talk about light-as-a-feather gnocchi! These may be his best one’s yet – and every time he makes them they’re great!
Ricotta Gnocchi
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Combine the ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour in 3 parts, stirring with a rubber spatula. It will be a loose dough.
Bring the dough together in a ball and cut off one-quarter of it. Dust the work surface with all-purpose flour to prevent sticking, and roll the cut-off piece of dough into a long rope about 5/8 inch in diameter. Cut the rope into 5/8-inch pieces. Dust some parchment paper with flour and place the gnocchi on it to prevent sticking. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Cook the gnocchi in boiling water for 2 minutes.
Drain and serve with your favorite sauce.
Our favorite sauce is anything Victor makes. Fortunately, we have plenty in the house.
Fresh bread, homemade pasta, off work early on a beautiful Spring day, and a new grill.
Life definitely doesn’t suck around here!
And tomorrow?!? Time to break that baby in!
Oh… and yes, that is a mosaic picture of San Francisco on our wall outside. It was made by my great Aunt Dolores in the early ’60s. It’s pretty cool.